Michael Palmer

Producer | Mixer | Musician

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10 Reviews (1 Verified)
Michael Palmer on SoundBetter

Established producer with a history making music for some of the worlds biggest brands... Now transitioning into producing artists and offering low rates to get established. Please TAKE A LISTEN to my audio examples to make your decision on working together. I believe the process should be fun, professional and fast

High-end production from start to finish.

LISTEN TO MORE OF MY WORK AT:
www.michaelpalmermusic.com

I run a music production company making music for some of the world's biggest brands including BMW, Nespresso, SEAT, Carlsberg, Bentley, The Olympics etc, as well as clients in TV (BBC, Channel 4, Granada) and with independent film-makers.

I have developed a solid approach to production & mixing and these days mix extensively with the UAD Apollo mix system with Genelec monitoring in a fully tuned acoustic mix room here in London.

Instruments I play to a high standard:

- Guitars (acoustic & electric) - With a great collection (Fender, G&L, Gibson, Guild, Gretch).
- Electric Bass (Fender P and J Basses)
- Piano (I have a beautiful upright here at the studio)
- Keyboards (Full range of sounds including a 60's Wurlitzer piano)

PRICES:
At this stage in my Soundbetter journey, I am simply offering to work to your budget. Let's talk about what you need and we can make a plan that works for us both

REVISIONS:
Here I would be aiming to get things done within 3 rounds of revisions. This is however somewhat flexible depending on the needs of the project

COPYRIGHT:
You will keep ALL of your copyrights

DELIVERY:
I will deliver the full mix + stems at the end of the project

Let's have fun and make your music the best it can be!

I'd love to hear about your project. Click the 'Contact' button above to get in touch.

Languages

  • English

10 Reviews

Endorse Michael Palmer
  1. Review by Sheema H.
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    check_circleVerified

    I had an amazing experience with Michael Palmer at his studio, as he began the process of creating and producing two unique and starkly different tracks to my spoken word pieces. Michael is a consummate professional with a vast skill base and excellent work ethic.

  2. Review by Pasha T.
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    Mike is a great composer and a very skilled instrumentalist.
    Also he provides descent backing vocals and mixes music with accuracy and British taste.

    We did this together recently. Love the way we worked on it – easy, fast, very productive
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVAZVpd8INQ

  3. Review by Oli Langford
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    Mike is a super talented all-rounder musician and works at speed, so if you're up against a deadline, he will be sure to deliver on time. I'm at awe when watching him at work, dialling in plugins by ear. Superb chap and a great dancer to boot!

  4. Review by Mike Newport
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    by Mike Newport

    Mike is amazing to work with, diligent, brilliant attention to detail and always goes the extra mile. Everything I've heard of his sounds incredible, amazing clarity mixes with great depth - and when I've used him as a session player - just fantastic guitar playing with great tones. Very inventive too when it comes to composing / scoring - always comes up with interesting and unique ideas. Brilliant guy to deal with too, just a super lovely person. Couldn't recommend more!

  5. Review by Simon Lea
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    by Simon Lea

    Mike is an incredible musician and producer, he never fails to impress me with his flawless production and stunning arrangements. He can also play many instruments to a high standard and is a very natural and highly instinctive musician. Grab him while you can still afford him.

  6. Review by gobironben@gmail.com
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    by gobironben@gmail.com

    I’ve worked with Mike for many years now and I can’t endorse him enough. Love playing live with him and working in his studio.

    He’s the perfect combination of a talented intuitive musician and a fantastic engineer.
    He’s my go to guy for anything to do with Logic Pro and plug ins.
    He’s mixes are always sublime.

  7. Review by Craig Bacon
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    by Craig Bacon

    Having worked with Michael in both a live setting and in the studio. He is not only a great producer and mix engineer but also a great musician, so he really has it all covered. Highly recommended!

  8. Review by Juan L.
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    He is an incredible musician and producer. Michael's mixes are always spot-on, and the production quality is outstanding. He also has an incredible selection of professional instruments and microphones in his studio.

    In a few words... Michael has exceptional attention to detail, and his familiarity with the music business is amazing!!!

    For any professional project, highly advised.

  9. Review by Ida Hollis
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    Michael is a fantastic mix engineer! As a musician and composer himself he adds a high level of musicianship to his incredible technical skills. He knows instinctively how to bring out the best in each instrument and balance them to perfection, he has great creative ideas and is also a real pleasure to work with!

  10. Review by Sav Campbell
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    by Sav Campbell

    The Best !

Interview with Michael Palmer

  1. Q: What are you working on at the moment?

  2. A: Currently I am making music for a production music library.

  3. Q: Analog or digital and why?

  4. A: Both. Digital gives you so much freedom and flexibility but analog has the soul. Experience with both his vital. We are at the point in history where the choice between the two is almost indistinguishable interns of result. But having the skills to implement digital versions of analog gear takes a real understanding of the original technology. Luckily I have this experience. I was making music before the digital revolution.

  5. Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?

  6. A: If you have the raw talent, I guarantee the music we create will be as good as anything you've heard.

  7. Q: What do you like most about your job?

  8. A: That feeling of having made something which didn't exist just a few days prior. That feeling when you can't stop playing the song over and over.

  9. Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?

  10. A: That it is something that can be learned quickly. Takes years to develop your ears.

  11. Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

  12. A: Show me three great records that your new song would sit beside on a playlist.

  13. Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

  14. A: Make your choice by listening to the music.

  15. Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?

  16. A: Laptop, guitars, MIDI keyboard, UAD Apollo, headphones.

  17. Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?

  18. A: Having studied music at university I have been working professionally as producer, composer and musician for about 15 years.

  19. Q: How would you describe your style?

  20. A: One word "craftsmanship".

  21. Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?

  22. A: I'd love to work with Arcade Fire. Their attention to detail and boundary pushing production within the context of crafted songwriting is endlessly fascinating to me.

  23. Q: Can you share one music production tip?

  24. A: Always clean up your low end on instruments with a high pass filter. Take out the mud in your mix by only allowing the frequencies that matter through. Always take the long view and listening at an emotional distance. Try to put yourself in the place of the listener.

  25. Q: What type of music do you usually work on?

  26. A: I work in a wide range of styles. But I find myself most comfortable with songs that have been written from a real point of view of traditional songwriting craftsmanship. I tend to avoid cheap sounding pop, EDM and R&B. I prefer to work on music that has a timeless quality. And I like to work with artists who can truly play and truly sing.

  27. Q: What's your strongest skill?

  28. A: The ability to take hey simple idea and create a result that will move the emotions of the listener.

  29. Q: What do you bring to a song?

  30. A: I bring enthusiasm, professionalism and a laser focused eye on quality. The work we produce must stand up against the very best in the industry.

  31. Q: What's your typical work process?

  32. A: It really depends on the artist and the song at hand. Most commonly I look at mapping out a song in terms of structure first. The most important thing we are after is the attention of the listener and I really believe it's vital to construct a timeline which is engaging throughout. I also believe in a marriage between lyrics and sounds. For me the most successful records fuse lyrical sentiment with the emotional impact of the chosen instruments and sounds on the record. From there it's about defining the groove and the harmonic movement. Often I will focus on his short section and build out all of the layers to get feel that works. Then it's a case of zooming out and populating the rest of the song. However it's really important that everything is up for debate. Often layers produced in the early stages will be thrown out as new ideas impact on the evolving song. I believe in working fast and retaining that spark of initial inspiration.

  33. Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

  34. A: Currently I use the UAD system. I have spent a lot of money on the amazing analog emulations within this set up. Having used a lot of the original analog hardware I'm a real convert to the digital emulations of today. Elsewhere I have an array of modern and vintage guitars (fender, les paul etc), Plus vintage amps by the likes of Vox (AC30TB). I also have a 1960s Wurlitzer EP 200 piano.

  35. Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

  36. A: I'm a big fan of the band Arcade Fire and producer 'Thomas Bangalter" (of Daft Punk) helped to produce the album 'Everything Now'. I love the intersection of indie rock and dance music.

  37. Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

  38. A: Most commonly I work from the ground up. Guiding to process from initial idea to finished recording. I believe one should start to envisage the sound of a finished record at the composition stage. Of course this can be a journey where things adapt along the way but it's vital to have a vision at the start. It's my job to help define that vision and make it a reality. I have a broad skill set that includes production, writing, arranging, mixing & mastering. Plus I play a range of instruments and write scores of things like string sections. Basically I am a one stop shop for making a record a reality.

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Compilation Showreel

I was the producer, instrumentalist, mix engineer and mastering engineer in this production

Terms Of Service

For one flat-fee I will provide

3 rounds of mix adaptations based on your feedback.

GenresSounds Like
  • José González
  • Arcade Fire
  • Prince
Gear Highlights
  • A comprehensive UAD Apollo mix system giving access to the best gear in music mixing history
  • Sphere mic system. Genelec monitoring
  • A fully tuned acoustic mix room.
More Photos
SoundBetter Deal

I can negotiate discounts for multiple songs